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We have snow in th begining of Dec usually. A couple years ago it start's snowing only after New Years Day.
Everyone's having that type of problem with the snow. Actually, the Yukagirs first noticed it about 30 years ago. They're on the front line, so to speak, up on the Arctic Ocean in Yakutia, you know. Where I live, we used to have heavy snow most of the winter. Now we have nothing but an occasional very light snowfall. It's a problem for the ski area on the mountain outside of town. There is very little ski tourism as a result of the lighter snowfall.
I haven't heard of such fears or sentiment. I think most Swedes are mostly worried of the international stage and the development in Russia.
Neither do I think that many in Finland are scared of an possible attack or fear Russia, though the tabloids sometimes do a bit of fearmongering to sell more. But I do think the Ukrainian crisis has been an eyeopener for many, and the military is definitely monitoring Russia more than ever since the Cold War.
No no, the "few who afford" go to Helsinki and hit designer shops and sleep in luxury hotels. The vast majority of poor/middle class people come by their 90's Ladas, browse supermarkets in border towns and sleep in 1 star motels or even tents in summer. Then they buy a 3 month's worth of cheese, fish, butter and canned food. Though they are pricy, most Russians say that the quality is why they come, and say Finnish tools, household goods and like garden things are vastly superior. For some reason they mention fish as being really good. Some offload a few cartons of Russian cigarettes and buy things with the profits. Lappeenranta is just 20 km from the border, so you don't even have to spend the night there if you're from Vyborg or something.
Even those who are maybe lower middle class, may do a Christmas trip to Helsinki, and that's the only time they go abroad every year. I don't know a damn what an average St. Petersburgian earns, but if you take the 6am train, it's €39 one way. I don't think that's too much once or twice a year. And if you take the train and register, you don't need a visa anymore if you stay less than 72 hours.
I don't know what a carton of American cigarettes cost in Russia, maybe €8? If you take one and your wife one, which you are legally allowed to bring, you can sell them to anyone on the street for €30. Voilà , one train fare covered.
And for young women there is always a possibility to make money here another way. Not that I think many tourists even consider this.
The tabloids and my scaremongering friend are making me a tad afraid!
Even Putin remembers his country's encounters with Finland in WWII. If it was a former soviet bloc country it would be a different discussion. Finland invites Russians with fists full of Euros only.
As for trading cigarettes, a carton of Marlboro's are $21 online/17 E.
Neither do I think that many in Finland are scared of an possible attack or fear Russia, though the tabloids sometimes do a bit of fearmongering to sell more. But I do think the Ukrainian crisis has been an eyeopener for many, and the military is definitely monitoring Russia more than ever since the Cold War.
The Finns I know in London were very concerned when Russia annexed the Crimea. The Finish US ambassador did a piece in the FT stating Finland was more Scandinavian, to put it across that any Russian movement towards Finland was not regaining old territory as was the case in the Crimea. Russian troops did move more towards Finland. They were very alarmed.
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if you take the 6am train, it's €39 one way.
It takes only 3.5 hours from Helsinki to St. Petersburg by train. This can be halved if high-speed rail was built. London from Paris in only 2 hours and 20 minutes by high-speed rail using a slow tunnel.
Even Putin remembers his country's encounters with Finland in WWII. If it was a former soviet bloc country it would be a different discussion. Finland invites Russians with fists full of Euros only.
As for trading cigarettes, a carton of Marlboro's are $21 online/17 E.
The real reason Soviet Union ever "had encounters with Finland" in those times was the strategic importance of Finland ( or rather certain parts of it) in the upcoming WWII, not subjugation of the "proud people" under "Russian boot."
"In 1918 the Finnish Civil War broke out between the generally right-wing government supporters and left-wing rebels. The war ended with the victory of the government forces, supported by Germany, and the expulsion of Russian troops. During the inter-war period, the relationship between Finland and the Soviet Union was tense. Some elements in Finland maintained the dream of "Greater Finland" which included the Soviet-controlled part of Karelia. The proximity of the Finnish border to Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) caused worry in the Soviet leadership."
"On 24 August 1939 Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. A secret clause of this agreement marked Finland as part of the Soviet sphere of influence. On 12 October the Soviet Union started negotiations with Finland concerning parts of Finnish territory, the Karelian Isthmus, the Gulf of Finland islands and the Hanko Peninsula. No agreement was reached."
That's what it was about, - about security issues for Russia, and basically that's what Russians achieved at the end.
"By the end of hostilities, Finland managed to defend its independence, but had to cede nearly 10% of its territory, including its second largest city, Viipuri, ( on that very Karelian Istmuth) and pay out a large amount of war reparations to the Soviet Union."
"By the end of hostilities, Finland managed to defend its independence, but had to cede nearly 10% of its territory, including its second largest city, Viipuri, ( on that very Karelian Istmuth) and pay out a large amount of war reparations to the Soviet Union."
In September 19, 1944, Finland returned to the borders set by the Moscow Peace Treaty and ceded more land than the treaty originally demanded.
In September 19, 1944, Finland returned to the borders set by the Moscow Peace Treaty and ceded more land than the treaty originally demanded.
Probably, as part of war reparations.
But even back in the day, every time I was in St. Petersburg, the closeness of Finnish border was "felt in the air," with busloads of Finns crossing the border for the week-end in order to drink and party ( the alcohol was so much cheaper for them in Russia,) and even every time I was standing on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, I could sense that the "foreign world" was just a step away.
So obviously Stalin was concerned for strategic reasons in that period of time, with upcoming war with Germany. He was no fool in this respect.
Isn't Finland a NATO member? I am sure Russia has better things to do than trying to start WW3 against NATO over Finland of all countries.
Hell no.
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